<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Finding Home by Buffyworldbuilder</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28275456">Finding Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buffyworldbuilder/pseuds/Buffyworldbuilder'>Buffyworldbuilder</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Death Eater's Redemption [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:52:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,672</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28275456</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buffyworldbuilder/pseuds/Buffyworldbuilder</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This story follows “She Speaks Snake” and takes place during spring break of their first year. Finally, the adults in Buffy’s life work out how she will bring Dawn home.</p><p>Disclaimer: I do not own BTVS or Harry Potter. Only this story is mine. It is the 7th story in the series.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Death Eater's Redemption [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1875847</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Bringing Her Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Buffy was excited to have spring break as she missed her mother. Although she got to spend time daily with her brother and father, Narcissa’s absence was greatly felt. Knowing Joyce Summer’s doppelganger was married to the Giles of this world made her miss her mother more. She had written her mother and told her all about her experience even though she knew her father would tell her. Narcissa was very different from her adopted mother, and Buffy knew she had been very hurt to lose Buffy all those years. Although Buffy felt Joyce Summer’s absence greatly, she felt it was important that she continue to foster the bonds between her and Narcissa.</p><p>Her mother was waiting at the train with Lucius when she and Draco got off. She said goodbye to all her housemates. “I’m glad Harry’s going home with Ron because I don’t think anyone should stay in Hogwarts for vacation,” she told Draco as they were getting off the train. “I was going to bring him home with me.”</p><p>“Are you bloody insane?” Draco asked her. “I don’t want him in my house and neither does our parents.”</p><p>Buffy glared. “It’s my house, too, and Harry’s aunt and uncle are mean to him. They don’t even feed him enough food—can you imagine that?” she asked.</p><p>Draco couldn’t actually, and he didn’t want to feel sorry for his nemesis even if Buffy made it impossible to have him for his nemesis. It didn’t mean he had to like the guy.</p><p>“I am surprised that Dumbledore doesn’t do something since he’s so attached to Potter,” Draco said.</p><p>“Finally!” Narcissa said, pulling Buffy in for a hug.</p><p>“What should Dumbledore do?” Lucius asked.</p><p>“I was just telling Draco about how underfed Harry was at his aunt and uncle—they’re very mean to him,” Buffy said. “He’s going home with the Weasleys for break instead of his home.”</p><p>“They withhold food?” Narcissa asked in shock. “Is that common amongst muggles?”</p><p>Buffy shook her head. “Only really abusive sickos,” she said. “There’s strict laws in America against that kind of thing. I’m not sure what the laws here are, but since Great Britain is considered a Democracy, it’d probably the same.”</p><p>“Since he has to go home for the summer, you can always call the authorities on his aunt and uncle if you think it would help him,” Narcissa suggested.</p><p>“That’s a good idea,” Buffy said. “Or I could go there and just kick their ass.” She grinned while her mother gave her that disapproving frown.</p><p>“Language, Elizabeth! Have you not learned how to speak properly yet?” she demanded. She glanced at her husband. “What are they teaching her at that school?”</p><p>“Unlike American schools, Hogwarts doesn’t actually spend time on English or grammar, Mother,” Buffy said with a grin.</p><p>Narcissa linked arms with her. “You are incorrigible,” she said, giving her a fond smile before apparating home.</p><p>The Malfoy mansion was so much better than the first time Buffy stepped into it since returning. The darkness that saturated the place was gone. Most of the family portraits were silent, unable to spew their bigotry. Lucius’ father portrait was happy that Buffy was alive, but he made the mistake of saying some ugly things about muggles in front of Buffy, and she showed Lucius that her slayer strength was stronger than the spell that kept the painting on the wall. As an enraged slayer pulling with all her considerable power did succeed into doing what her father and brother told her was impossible. Her and Draco’s grandfather’s painting now resided in the basement.</p><p>“I love the flowers, Mother,” she told Narcissa as they stood in front of the doorway.</p><p>“I thought you might,” her mother said, pleased that she noticed. “Dobby’s been cooking all day for you.”</p><p>“Oh, yum!” Buffy said eagerly.</p><p>Lucius was glad to have her home but anxious about what he had planned before the week was over.</p><p>*****<em>The Next Day*****</em></p><p>Buffy had decided that she wanted to have Giles over for dinner and meet the rest of his family. Her mother wasn’t sure about it considering who his wife was. However, Buffy had assured her mother that she was ready to see the woman who wore her other mother’s face. She shared with her mother the story of vamp Willow from the other world, and her experience with a doppelganger.</p><p>“I know that the Rupert of this world is not my Giles, but he is very much like my Giles. It gives me comfort,” she told her parents. “I think seeing a version of my mom that is alive, healthy, and happy will be good for me. My mom died so suddenly. She was sick, and then got better. Then I came home and found her dead. In a life of awful memories, that is still the worst moment of my life.”</p><p>It hurt Narcissa to hear this, but Lucius had told her about the pensive Buffy had shared. Then she had recently insisted on watching it herself because she wanted to know and understand her daughter. Lucius tried to convince her not to, but Narcissa was resolute. Buffy’s memories, however, were so violent at times that he worried for her. It was decided that if she was going to watch Buffy’s memories that Severus join her. Lucius just couldn’t bear to watch them again—that admittance should’ve been enough to give his wife pause. Yet she insisted that she know what her daughter had endured.</p><p>A few weekends after Buffy had rendered Professor Quirrell unconscious, he had Severus over for dinner.  Then he asked him to watch Buffy’s memories with his wife, explaining why he couldn’t bear to do it again.</p><p>Severus was definitely interested, but the experience was more upsetting than he anticipated. It left him both shaken and very angry. He stepped up his poisoning of the Death Eaters in Azkaban, finally killing the Dark Lord’s most loyal supporter, Narcissa’s sister.</p><p>Narcissa, though, didn’t spend too much time mourning her insane and homicidal sister as seeing her daughter’s memories gave her nightmares for a full week.  Finally, Lucius had to get Severus to make a potion for her to sleep dreamlessly.</p><p>“How could any young woman endure so much?” she asked Lucius as she cried in his arms.</p><p>“I shouldn’t have let you watch it,” he said, disgusted with himself. “I knew how awful it was.”</p><p>“No, I’m glad I did,” Narcissa said. “She had such loyal friends, which brings me comfort to know. I didn’t realize muggles could be so brave. Xander and Willow were just ordinary muggles. Willow learned Earth magic and eventually became someone that could fight, but Xander was so mundane—he saved her life. He was constantly getting hurt to help her. Why? Why did he do it? I just don’t understand.”</p><p>“I believe Buffy said he and Willow lost their best friend Jesse to vampires, so he was motivated to fight,” Lucius explained.</p><p>“And Buffy’s adopted mother—she had no idea what Buffy was at first. I kept thinking would I have known?” Narcissa wondered. “Would I have been able to ignore what was going on the way Joyce did? Then she found out, and she was there for our daughter, supporting her.”</p><p>Lucius nodded. “Yes. I am very glad that Buffy had a worthy muggle at least—a happy accident,” he said.</p><p>“Was it? Do you think it was all an accident?” Narcissa asked. “She was called to be a slayer in that world. That doesn’t mean she would have here. It was like her magic was suppressed so the slayer side of her could come out.”</p><p>“That makes sense,” Lucius said, considering it. “Rupert said at their first training session last week that there was no real way of knowing as she probably would have been a potential in this world. However, the reason one is called over another is unknown.”</p><p>“You know the worse thing was seeing Buffy’s sister Dawn up on the tower with Buffy before Buffy jumped,” Narcissa said, wiping her eyes. “The girl looked nothing like Buffy, but she was willing to jump. Barely older than Draco and so brave. Buffy says that that Dawn was made out of her blood, so she is our daughter, too, Lucius. I do not know how we managed to have two daughters that are so courageous, but I cannot help but feel a sense of pride. I also feel sick that our child is out there, and she will never know us.”</p><p>“Buffy has suffered enough loss,” Lucius said. “We will find a way to bring Dawn to this world. I have Albus and Severus looking into it. Albus has even spoken to others on staff about the issue, and all have been helping in some way or another. He is consulting his resources at the Wizengamot.”</p><p>Narcissa eyes lit with hope. “Do you think we could bring her back?” she asked.</p><p>“I do,” Lucius said. “We are working now and have been for months. I know we’re getting closer.”</p><p>Now that spring break was here, they were going to bring the idea up to the head of the Watcher’s Council at dinner. He, too, had resources. His council was ancient and had magics that they may not even though Lucius was loathed to admit such a thing. He saw the spell Giles did when he joined their essence. The man didn’t even consider himself a warlock, yet he could access ancient spells with relative ease. Lucius knew such a man would be a strong ally. In their world, Rupert Giles had even more power as the head of the Watcher’s Council.</p><p>It had been decided that Buffy would not have a full-time watcher while she was at Hogwarts. Rupert felt there was no need for one as Buffy had already lived a life as a slayer, and now she was learning magic. He felt that twice a week she they should meet for training. There were a few Watchers that he thought might get along well with Buffy, so he suggested that he come to her mid-week at Hogwarts if they could be allowed to set up a floo connections in his office to Albus’s. Then Buffy would come to him on Saturday afternoons. Occasionally, they would do nighttime meets, so that he could accompany her in the field for slaying. Severus and Hagrid would accompany her once a week without him to go slaying in the Forbidden Forest—Albus had given permission.</p><p>Rupert was plenty busy as head of the Council, and he didn’t have the time to devote full-time to her. However, he was reluctant to just hand her over completely to another as her memories were still burned in Rupert’s mind. He felt that he owed it to his other self in that other world to stay connected to Buffy—to watch out for her as best he could.</p><p>He had tested her extensively their first Saturday together while several members of the Council observed.  Rupert had called a special session of the Council to tell them about Buffy’s existence and how she came to be. They were astounded; some insisted he was mistaken. Roger Wyndam-Price was the most annoying twat, who had delusions of being brilliant, so Rupert made sure that he was there while he put Buffy through her paces. He often influenced some of the staunchest traditionalists, so Roger finding Buffy impressive would go a long way to silence all the critics or doubters. Sadly, it was his son who had all the brains—at least Wesley wasn’t quite so stuck in the past.</p><p>Rupert wasn’t surprised that she did so well. Her reflexes and situational awareness were top notch, but her fighting skills were incredible. They had some of their best teams fight her, and she was able to handle five guys at once easily. He couldn’t help but wish there was a way to see how she compared to their current slayer, Rona.</p><p>Now he had an invitation to go to dinner on Sunday with her and her family. The invitation included his entire family.  He told his wife about it.</p><p>“So Michael and Angela are invited also?” she asked in surprise.</p><p>He nodded. “I believe Buffy is just curious about my family,” he said. “She loved my doppelganger like a father, and your doppelganger <em>was </em>her mother in that world.”</p><p>“That poor girl,” Joyce said. “I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to see me, especially as my other version died just a few months before she came here.”</p><p>“It’s been a year, though, so I think she’s ready to move on,” Rupert said. “I think you would enjoy meeting her and see the home of a real wizard.”</p><p>Joyce laughed. “Well, okay. Let her know that we’ll be there,” she said to her husband.</p><p>Rupert hoped the dinner would prove beneficial to his new relationship with the slayer.</p><p>*****<em>Two Days Later*****</em></p><p>Buffy was nervous as kept pestering Dobby about the dinner preparations. Finally, her mother dragged her away and told her to go get dressed.</p><p>Draco went to her room as she was trying to decide what to do with her hair.</p><p>“Why are you acting dafter than normal?” Draco asked her.</p><p>“I’m just anxious,” Buffy said. “You can’t know what Giles meant to me or my mother.”</p><p>“Well, of course, I can,” Draco said. “Father told me that the other version of Mr. Giles was your mentor and trainer—a father figure, who often risked his life to fight with you. I know how important a mother figure would be.”</p><p>“She <em>was </em>my mother,” Buffy said. “I didn’t remember being adopted or this world when I was over there. Finding her dead in the living room was a horrible time.”</p><p>“So now you’ll get to picture her happy and alive,” Draco pointed out.</p><p>Buffy turned away from the mirror and faced him. “You are absolutely right,” she said, smiling. “Thank you.”  She moved to hug him. “I am so glad that I have a brother.”</p><p>Draco felt warm inside at her words—she was always making him that way. “Having a sister is pretty great, too,” he said.</p><p>Less than an hour later, they were standing in the foray greeting their guests. Draco looked at the children with interest.  They looked to be close to his age.</p><p>“Welcome,” Lucius said, greeting them. He shook Rupert’s hand and introduced his wife and son.</p><p>Buffy, for her part, was staring hard at Joyce. She had shorter hair than her mother, and she was about ten pounds heavier. However, she looked exactly like Buffy’s other mother.</p><p>“It is great to meet you, Buffy,” Joyce said, smiling at the girl. “Rupert didn’t tell me how beautiful you were.” She glanced at her son Michael, who was staring at Buffy awestruck.</p><p>“Thanks,” Buffy said. “You look exactly like my mom, but your hair is a bit different, and she was a bit thinner.”</p><p>“She probably didn’t have the cook that I have,” Joyce said, smiling warmly. “Polly is such a fabulous cook that I can’t often resist.”</p><p>“How old are your children?” Narcissa asked her.</p><p>“The twins are ten but turn eleven in a few months,” Joyce said. “Angela is a potential, and she trains with my mother-in-law, who is a Watcher.”</p><p>“A potential what?” Draco asked.</p><p>“That means potential slayer,” Buffy said. “There are hundreds of potentials in the world at any given time. Most of the time, the Council identifies them and prepares them for life of a slayer. In the other world, they would be ripped or stolen or seduced away from their families.”</p><p>“That doesn’t happen anymore,” Rupert said grimly. “We only do that in cases where the family is unfit or unable to care properly for them. However, I encourage the families in those cases to keep in touch with the girls.”</p><p>“That’s great,” Buffy said, giving him a smile of approval.</p><p>“So you could be what Buffy is?” Draco asked Angela.</p><p>Angela shrugged, feeling shy. The boy was very cute and talking to her. Unlike Michael, she wasn’t very outgoing.</p><p>“The chances are minor,” Rupert said.</p><p>“I pray every day that isn’t the case,” Joyce said.</p><p>“Please come into the sitting room,” Narcissa said. “Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.”</p><p>“Would you like a drink?” Lucius asked.</p><p>“Scotch on the rocks if you have it,” Rupert said. The house was as impressive as he thought it would be, and the antiques he saw everywhere was making him nuts. He wanted badly to inspect several items.</p><p>“You have such a beautiful home,” Joyce said to Narcissa.</p><p>“It’s so much better than it was,” Buffy said. “When I got here, I could hardly stand it because it was dark and dreary and gave me the wiggins.”</p><p>“That’s American for disturbed her greatly,” Narcissa said with a fond smile.</p><p>Rupert laughed. “Yes, I have heard her use it before,” he said. “From my venture into her memories of my counterpart, her Californian speak drove Giles barmy.”</p><p>“It so did,” Buffy said, grinning. “Xander and I would often play up the Californese just to drive him batty.”</p><p>“Californese?” Michael said, confused.</p><p>“That’s her way of saying that she spoke in an exaggerated manner that only people native to California could understand. That’s the large state on the west coast of America where American movies are made.”</p><p>“Many of them,” Buffy said. “I was raised in Los Angeles before we moved to the hellmouth.”</p><p>“I can’t believe you lived in a hellmouth,” Michael. “I bet that was exciting. How many demons did you see and kill?”</p><p>“Michael, that is not an appropriate question,” Joyce scolded, giving him a disapproving frown.</p><p>Buffy shrugged. “It’s okay. I don’t mind answering it because I really couldn’t say,” she said. “I lived there for five years, and I fought a demon at least three or four times a week. Vampires were my nightly gig. Giles or one of the gang would look up how to kill it if I couldn’t beat it on the first battle.”</p><p>Michael’s eyes were wide. “That’s incredible! I bet you know all the demons in my dad’s book of demons,” he said excitedly.</p><p>“If I know your dad at all, he probably has dozens of books about demons,” Buffy said, giving Rupert a fond smile.</p><p>“She does know you, Dad,” Michael said, laughing.</p><p>“It’s fascinating to think that I have a version in another world who is exactly like me only our experiences are different,” Rupert said.</p><p>“It’s also a bit disturbing,” Joyce said.</p><p>“I can understand that,” Narcissa said. “I wonder if a version of me exists in that other world?”</p><p>“Most likely,” Rupert said.</p><p>“Not every version is here, though,” Buffy said. “Rupert checked and found only Willow and Oz here. Xander was here, but he died in a childhood accident. Tara’s father went prison here for her murder, and Cordelia never existed that he could find. Those were my friends in high school. Tara we met our freshman year of college.”</p><p>“Cordelia’s parents might not have met—it could be any number of reasons,” Giles said.</p><p>“Is it possible that either of you are magical?” Draco asked the twins.</p><p>“I can do spells with Grandmother,” Angela said.</p><p>“My mother knows a bit of Wicca magic,” Rupert said.</p><p>“No accidental burst of magic?” Draco asked. “Like you wanting something and suddenly it appearing in front of you?”</p><p>The adults all watched the twins exchange a look.</p><p>Rupert was astounded. “Is there something you haven’t told your mother and me?” he asked them.</p><p>“Well, Ang and I thought it was our twin powers,” he said.</p><p>“Oh, you can play with my magic stake and see!” Buffy suggested excitedly.</p><p>“Wand, Buffy. It is a wand,” Lucius said in annoyance.</p><p>Buffy gave him a cheeky grin, causing the kids to laugh at her. “Yes, Father, I know,” she said. “But it’s a wooden stake with magic powers, so my description is still accurate.”</p><p>“You are incorrigible, aren’t you? “Joyce asked her in amusement.</p><p>“Totally,” Buffy said, smiling. “But I can go get it and see.”</p><p>“Not necessary,” Lucius said, pulling out his wand. “They can use mine.”</p><p>Narcissa gave him a look of surprise. Clearly, Lucius wanted to foster a good relationship with this family, but she was still a bit amazed at his willingness to part with his wand even for a short demonstration.</p><p>“What do I do?” Michael asked as he held the stick, feeling silly.</p><p>“You just wave it,” Buffy said. “If you have magic in you like we do, the wand will react in some way.”</p><p>“Just don’t wave it toward anyone,” Lucius said.</p><p>Michael nodded. He gave the wand a flick and looked horrified when he caused an expensive looking vase to explode. “Oh, God! I’m sorry!” he exclaimed.</p><p>Narcissa took out her wand and waved it, “Restituo,” she said. They watched in awe as the pieces were put back together.</p><p>“That’s amazing,” Angela said.</p><p>“A wand doesn’t work right for someone it doesn’t belong to,” Lucius explained. “However, nonmagical people would get no reaction at all if they waved it. Close family members can sometimes use each other’s wand as the wand will recognized the familial connection.”</p><p>“Fascinating,” Rupert said.</p><p>Michael handed it to his sister, who looked very scared. “I don’t want to,” she said.</p><p>“You have to,” Michael said. “We have to know.”</p><p>Rupert was excited to think that his children could be magical like Buffy and waited for his precious angel to take her turn. She gave it a tentative wave, and it caused a gush of wind to come out of the wand, knocking over the recently repaired vase.</p><p>“That’s so cool!” Michael exclaimed.</p><p>“What does this mean?” Joyce asked.</p><p>“It means that your children might get an invitation to Hogwarts in the fall,” Lucius said.</p><p>“That would be incredible,” Rupert said.</p><p>“We can go to a magic school?” Michael asked excitedly.</p><p>“Hogwarts is the coolest,” Buffy said. “Much cooler than its lame name.”</p><p>“Buffy,” Narcissa said in disapproval.</p><p>“Come on, Mother. You can’t possibly think the name Hogwarts is cool?” Buffy asked. “I mean what were the founders thinking? Why would you name a school after warts on a hog?”</p><p>Draco snorted, trying to contain his laughter. His sister was so outrageous. Her mind worked so differently from his, but she was never boring.</p><p>Dobby winked into the room, causing Angela to scream. Dobby looked terrified and gave Buffy a look, which she correctly interpreted. “It’s okay, Dobby. You’re not in trouble,” she said. “They are not witches or wizards, and they have never seen a house elf.”</p><p>“You’re an elf?” Michael asked. “Not a demon?”</p><p>“Dobby is not a demon!” Dobby said in offense.</p><p>“That’s what I thought when I saw him,” Buffy said. “Or rather when I saw another house elf that we have.”</p><p>“House elves are magical creatures,” Narcissa explained. “They are not demonic in nature. Most are very benevolent.”</p><p>“They cook and take care of the house,” Draco said.</p><p>“Oh, so they’re like your servants?” Michael said.</p><p>“More like slaves,” Buffy said. “They are bond to the house magic, and they have to do anything we say. It’s really kind of a sick thing.”</p><p>“Many centuries ago, elves rose up and fought a large number of witches and wizard,” Narcissa explained. “Part of the punishment for their rebellion was this bonding.”</p><p>“Let’s eat,” Buffy said. “I’m starving.”</p><p>“You’re always starving,” Draco said with a smirk as he followed his sister out of the room. Everyone else a step behind them.</p><p>“Slayer metabolism,” Buffy said happily.</p><p>The house elves served the first course. Lucius and Narcissa waited kept up a light conversation, learning more about the Giles while they learned about the magical community.</p><p>Buffy spoke to the twins nearly as much as she did their parents, making another conquest. Draco shook his head. She did it so effortlessly that he still found himself surprised by it. There was something about his sister that drew people in. She was so genuine and so full of life and love—it was mesmerizing as much as it was comforting to him. He was so glad she was there even if he didn’t always understand her.</p><p>Lucius waited until dessert was served to bring up the topic of crossing into the world Buffy was at.</p><p>“Why would you wanna do that?” Michael asked. “You’re not going to leave here, are you?”</p><p>“Of course not,” Buffy said. “But my sister Dawn is over there. I want to bring her here.”</p><p>Rupert considered the request. “Actually, I do know of one or two ways that might work,” he said.</p><p>Buffy gazed at him in surprise. Would it really happen? Could they bring Dawn to this world?</p><p>*****<em>To Be Continued*****</em></p><p>
  <em> FYI: Twat is a real British word that could mean vagina or be used as an insult. It also means stupid person. Americans would just say idiot.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Take a minute to leave a kudos and/or comment.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Bringing Dawn Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The portal bit and the rest requires some creative thinking on the part of the reader. Or rather, I am aware that it’s a more on the ridiculous side than not. 😉</p><p>Also, in regards to a question someone asked that others may also be wondering about: Will interacting with your doppelganger cause instability? I am not a huge Stargate fan, but I believe that was something that was established in their quantum mirror episode. I am a huge FRINGE fan (the best JJ Abrams show ever). In that show, they dealt with parallel worlds and the doppelganger’s worked together all the time. I’m going with that version. However, I established that most of them didn’t have a doppelganger as Rupert checked on them. Buffy, Tara and Xander didn’t. Willow, Joyce, and Rupert do. I hope that clears up my thinking if anyone else is wondering about ramifications of doppelgangers interacting or being in same world at same time.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>*****Three Days Later*****</em>
</p><p>Albus and Severus were at the Malfoy mansion—a place Albus never thought he would be.  However, the head of the Watcher’s Council found a demon that could open portals. Ironically, this demon was open to bribes, and the Malfoys were paying the demon to open the portal.</p><p>“I cannot believe after all our research the solution is found in a demon,” he said to Severus.</p><p>“I know how you feel,” Severus said. He was very annoyed at the way things had fallen into place. Rupert Giles did know an ancient spell that would open portals, but he wanted to approach a demon clan that had portal opening abilities as Earth magic was unreliable at times. The entire thing seemed obscene.</p><p>“The slayer cannot slay any of my brethren,” the demon said.</p><p>“What’s your name?” Buffy asked the very tall and surprisingly human-looking demon.</p><p>“I go by Al in this world as the human tongue cannot pronounce my birth name,” Al said.</p><p>“If your brethren aren’t targeting or killing humans, they are safe from me,” Buffy said. “I don’t kill demons indiscriminately. In fact, I had some good friends that were demons in my old world.”</p><p>Al looked at the slayer a long time before nodding. “Very well.”</p><p>“I am going with you,” Lucius said.</p><p>“No,” Narcissa said. “We can’t risk you getting stuck there, Lucius. What if something goes wrong? Draco needs his father.”</p><p>“I’ll watch out for him,” Buffy said.</p><p>“I would like to go,” Albus announced.</p><p>“Really?” Lucius asked in surprise.</p><p>“I would like to see this other world,” Albus said.</p><p>“Must I point out that our world can’t lose you?” Severus said. “I will go with Buffy. My loss would not impact the world here all that much, and I have no family.”</p><p>“You have us,” Buffy said. “But nothing will happen to you. My world is not much more dangerous than this world.”</p><p>“How long can you keep the portal open?” Lucius asked Al.</p><p>“I will not crossover,” he said. “Because I have the slayers’ blood, I can detect where her home was in that world as her blood connection and the hellmouth there will make it easy to detect.”</p><p>“You mean Dawn?” Buffy said. “You’re using her as a homing beacon?”</p><p>“Basically. I do not need her blood once I have opened the portal once to that spot, however,” Al said. “I will give you one hour over there, and I will open the portal again. You must return to the spot you arrive in.”</p><p>“Go back to the exact location that I step out at? Got it,” Buffy said. She hugged her parents and her brother, who was silent and scared.</p><p>Draco was terribly afraid his sister would not come back, but he knew that he couldn’t tell her not to go. This was something she had to do.</p><p>Buffy smiled at him. “Don’t worry, little brother,” Buffy said. “I will return to you.”</p><p>“You better,” he said, forcing a smile.</p><p>“Okay, Al. I’m ready,” Buffy said. She looked at her uncle. “Are you, Uncle Severus?”</p><p>“I suppose,” he said. “Should I put on muggle clothes?”</p><p>“Nah. Sunnydale is full of weird things. No one will bat an eye at your appearance,” she told him.</p><p>They said another goodbye to her family, and she looked at the demon. “I’m ready, Al,” she said.</p><p>It was strange seeing a portal open up in her birth mother’s parlor.</p><p>“It’s like a doorway!” Draco exclaimed in awe.</p><p>“That’s my house!” Buffy said excitedly. “Or my old one.”</p><p>“It’s so small,” Draco observed.</p><p>“Actually, it’s quite average size for most Americans,” she said. “It had an upstairs and a nice backyard. Plus, two bathrooms, which is always awesome.”</p><p>“Remember, I will open the portal again in an hour,” Al said.</p><p>“Can you make it a bit longer?” Buffy asked. “How about three hours?”</p><p>“I have other things to do,” Al said.</p><p>“Please,” Buffy begged. “What if Willow is in class? I need to call Angel and tell him I’m okay.”</p><p>“It will cost more,” Al said.</p><p>“That’s fine,” Lucius said. “But no more than three hours. It’s one o’clock here, so make sure you check the time when you go there.”</p><p>“I have my watch on,” Buffy pointed to her wrist. She made her mother buy it for her as she hated not knowing the time. Willow and Giles always knew the time, and they weren’t here to tell her. There weren’t cellphones in this magic world. Or rather, there was, but witches and wizards didn’t use them. It was a bit crazy, and she was going to tell them a call in a fireplace was not practical. What if she was taking a walk and wanted to ask her mom something? However, it wasn’t a battle she wanted to fight quite yet.</p><p>“Oh, yes,” Narcissa said. She had bought herself a watch, so that Buffy wouldn’t feel out of place. It was quite nice and expensive. Her daughter wanted a digital one, but she wouldn’t agree to that. It wasn’t classy looking, and her daughter had to look her best.</p><p>Then in a moment, Buffy was gone.</p><p>“What if she doesn’t come back?” Narcissa asked her husband as fear filled her.</p><p>Lucius pulled her close. “She will come back. This is her home, and we are her family,” he said.</p><p>Draco couldn’t help but think about how the other world had also been her home for a much longer time than this one, and she had a family there.</p><p>His mother had a point. What would they do if she didn’t come back?</p><p>“Severus is with her, and he will make sure,” Lucius added.</p><p>Suddenly, Draco felt a lot better.</p><p>*****<em>Sunnydale*****</em></p><p>Severus was surprised about how ordinary the hellmouth seemed as he looked down the street. “It’s quiet,” he remarked.</p><p>“That’s ‘cause the sun hasn’t set yet,” Buffy said. “I wonder what time it is here?”</p><p>She led him to her front steps before he reached out and grabbed her arm. “Buffy, what about your appearance?” he asked.</p><p>“What’s wrong with it? I thought my leather jacket with this skirt looked quite nice. The skirt has a slit, so I can still kick in it,” she said, looking down.</p><p>“I’m referring to the fact that you are not twenty-one like you would be if you were still in this world,” he reminded her.</p><p>“Oh, yea,” Buffy said. “I kind of forgot. I’m also blonder.”</p><p>“I should’ve brought some Polyjuice,” he said.</p><p>“I could do a glamour,” she said. “However, this isn’t a big deal. My friends slay monsters all the time. This won’t phase them as much as the fact that I’m not actually dead.”</p><p>She walked up to the door and started to just walk on in and then hesitated. Feeling strange, she rang the bell.</p><p>It was a long moment before the door opened, and Dawn stood in front of her. “Dawn!” Buffy said.</p><p>Dawn gaped at her. “What the heck is going on? Why do you look so much like my sister in high school? Are you a cousin?” she asked. “How did I not know we had a cousin that looked like Buffy?”</p><p>“Dawnie, who’s at the door?” Tara asked, stepping to the door and pulling it open. “Oh, my.” She stared at Buffy in astonishment. “Buffy? What happened to you? Why do you look like a teenager again? Your hair is blonder, which looks lovely.”</p><p>“It’s great to see you, Tara,” Buffy said, smiling at her.</p><p>“That’s not Buffy,” Dawn said, looking at Tara. “It’s some cousin. Buffy’s dead. We buried her body.”</p><p>“Seriously?” Buffy asked in shock. “My body fell to the ground?”</p><p>“Of course, Buffy’s body fell to the ground,” Dawn said, irritated. “She fell from a high rise after getting elocuted. My sister is dead, so I’m not sure what kind of sick game you’re playing. I’m not buying it.”</p><p>She turned to leave, but Tara stopped her. “Dawnie, that’s your sister. I would recognize her aura anywhere. It’s very distinct. I don’t know how she is here, but that’s her.”</p><p>Dawn looked back at Buffy in doubt. “I don’t understand. How is she a teenager or alive?” she asked.</p><p>“I will explain,” Buffy said. “Can you call Giles to come?”</p><p>“Giles went back to England,” Dawn said. “He was devasted and felt like he sucked as a watcher. He signed his store over to Anya.”</p><p>“What?” Buffy asked. “I can only be here for a few hours. I was really hoping to see him.”</p><p>“We’ll call him and put him on speaker phone,” Tara said. “If you’re able.” She stepped back to indicate they could enter.</p><p>“This is Severus Snape,” Buffy said, pointing to Severus. “He’s a wizard, and my godfather.”</p><p>“A wizard? That’s so cool!” Dawn said. “Is that why he’s wearing robes? They’re his wizard robes!”</p><p>“That is true,” Severus said, looking at Buffy’s sister with interest. She didn’t look much like a Malfoy. “It is nice to meet you both.”</p><p>“Do you have a magic staff like Merlin and Gandalf?” Dawn asked.</p><p>“I do,” he said.</p><p>“So do I,” Buffy said. “In the dimension that I am from, I am a wand witch.” She pulled out her wand to show it to Dawn.</p><p>Dawn, of course, took it from her to examine more closely.</p><p>“Be careful with it,” Buffy said. But it was too late. Dawn flicked it while saying, “Abbra cadavra!”</p><p>Fortunately, that wasn’t a real spell, however, green sparkles came out of it, which startled Dawn. She dropped it. “What the heck?” she asked.</p><p>“I told you to be careful,” Buffy said, glaring as she picked it up.</p><p>“That glare does look exactly like my sister,” Dawn said. “Is that really you, Buffy?”</p><p>“A wand would not work so well for someone that wasn’t a blood relative,” Severus told her. Her parents would be relieved to see that Dawn was also a witch.</p><p>Dawn’s eyes filled with tears, and she hugged Buffy.  “How?” Dawn asked.</p><p>“I’ll call everyone and tell them to get here,” Tara said. She looked at her watch. “Xander should be getting off work since it’s after five.”</p><p>“Really? It was one o’clock when I left my world,” Buffy said.</p><p>“Hold that thought,” Tara said. “I’ll be right back.” She went to the dining room to grab the phone.</p><p>“So you got sent to another world?” Dawn asked, not wanting to wait for Tara. “Is that why you’re so different?”</p><p>Buffy nodded. “Yes,” Buffy said. “I came to bring you back to my world. We have a brother and parents in my world. It’s the world I was actually born in.”</p><p>“Seriously?” Dawn asked in surprise.</p><p>“Yes,” Buffy said. “It’s a long story. Let’s go into the living room.”</p><p>Severus followed the girls, looking around at the pictures with interest.</p><p>“What’s been going on since I left? How much time has passed?” she asked.</p><p>“It’s April, and you died in May of last year,” Dawn said.</p><p>“So the calendar time is the same,” Buffy said. “That’s good to know.” She didn’t understand, though, how more time had passed in this world and only ten years in the other. Did they just move her through time and place her soul in a new body?</p><p>“Willow and Tara tried to do a spell to raise you from the dead,” Dawn said. “They didn’t tell me about it until after it didn’t work. I was really upset. Willow was afraid your soul was trapped in a hell dimension, which gave me nightmares after she told me that.”</p><p>“Oh, Dawn, I’m sorry,” Buffy said, reaching for her hand.</p><p>“Willow kept telling me, though, you weren’t because Osiris told her that you were somewhere else and that you were at peace,” Dawn said. “He could’ve told us you were alive in another dimension.”</p><p>“Your friend could access Osiris?” Severus asked in shock.</p><p>“Willow is super powerful these days,” Dawn said. “She’s been pushing it with the magic, so we can keep the hellmouth under control. Without a slayer, it’s been hard. We had the Buffybot patrolling, so the demons don’t think you’re dead. However, this demon gang destroyed her the day Willow did the spell. It’s been pretty intense.”</p><p>“Why hasn’t the Council sent a team to help?” Buffy asked.</p><p>“Well, they did at the beginning of this year. The team was killed in a week, so they sent two more at once. They lasted two weeks,” Dawn said.</p><p>“Really?” Buffy asked in surprise.</p><p>“The teams just don’t have the experience to deal with this place, and they refused to listen to Willow or Spike,” Dawn said. “Willow’s in charge ‘cause they voted and decided she was the boss. Without Giles here and you, someone needed to be.”</p><p>Buffy nodded, trying to take it in. “I’d have picked her, too.”</p><p>“The thing is, though, the dark magic she’s been accessing has changed her too much,” Dawn said. “It’s a bit disturbing, and Tara is not liking it.” She paused to make sure Tara wasn’t coming into the room. “They’ve been fighting.”</p><p>“Sheesh,” Buffy said. “Well, maybe I can help. Angel. We have to get him here. Why didn’t you guys call him?”</p><p>“He’s got his own thing going on in Los Angeles,” Dawn said. “Cordy called a while ago and said he’s a dad. Some mystical baby.”</p><p>“Seriously?” Buffy asked in shock. “I need to call him.”  She got up to go to the phone, and Tara was hanging up.</p><p>“Who’s Angel?” Severus asked Dawn.</p><p>“Oh, you don’t know about Angel?” Dawn said. “Well, it’s a soap opera.”  Then she began telling him all about it.</p><p>Before Buffy could return from her phone call, Tara did. “Everyone will be here soon, and then we’ll call and wake up Giles,” she said.</p><p>Willow arrived first as she was out grabbing dinner.  Tara tried to explain before she spotted Buffy in the dining room.</p><p>Severus was highly disturbed by the witch who came in carrying two bags. The power and darkness coming up of her was alarming as well as a bit intoxicating. This woman was dangerous, and she was Buffy’s best friend.</p><p>Buffy was distracted from listening to Angel by Willow’s appearance. She was holding bags of take-out, which she sat down on the table.</p><p>“Buffy?” Willow whispered, trying to understand what she was seeing. It was Buffy but not. “Did someone make a new Buffybot?”</p><p>“No, it’s her, Willow,” Tara said. “Her aura is the same. She’s going to explain what happened when everyone gets here.”</p><p>“She was in another dimension,” Dawn explained.</p><p>“That’s what Osiris meant,” Willow said.</p><p>Buffy smiled at her even though she was rattled by the change in Willow’s appearance. Her hair was tinged with black, and her eyes seemed nearly black.</p><p>“Angel, I gotta go. Willow is here,” Buffy said. “Just bring Cordy and your son with you. I only have a few hours before I have to go back to my home dimension.” She hung up, expecting her words to be obeyed.</p><p>“Angel’s coming?” Dawn asked.</p><p>“Of course,” Buffy said. “Willow, what the hell has happened to you?”</p><p>“I could ask you the same question,” Willow said, arching an eyebrow. “How did you get to be so young?”</p><p>“I was kidnapped from another dimension ten years ago. The calendar year is the same, but only ten years had passed. This is the age that I would’ve been if I had stayed. Once I died here, they sent me back to my world,” Buffy said. “Whistler said that as a reward for saving all dimensions, including my original, they were going to let me live my life with my real family.”</p><p>“Joyce wasn’t your mother? How did we not know?” Willow asked.</p><p>“Some serious mojo was involved,” Buffy said. “I didn’t remember my old family or that I was adopted by Joyce. Now, though, I remember more. It’s very strange.”</p><p>“It’s great to see you,” Willow said. However, she didn’t move to hug Buffy.</p><p>“You, too, although I am a bit disturbed by your appearance,” Buffy said. “What’s with the new look?”</p><p>“She’s dangerous,” Severus announced. “She reeks of dark magic.”</p><p>Willow finally noticed the stranger and calmly replied, “I’ve done what I’ve had to do to keep this town safe. I’m not a slayer, so I have to use darker magic to keep on top of this place.”</p><p>“She’s using too much,” Tara said hesitantly. “But she won’t stop.”</p><p>“If I stop, people will die,” Willow said bluntly. “Is that what you want?”</p><p>The door opened, interrupting the fight, and Xander charged into the room.  “Buffy?” he asked. Anya was behind him. “I can’t believe it!” He brushed past Willow to pull Buffy in for a hug.</p><p>Buffy felt relieved to see that he was exactly the same and hugged him tightly.</p><p>“Easy, Buffy. I’m still a frail human,” Xander said, pulling back and grinning down at her. “I’m not sure why you look like every teenage boy’s fantasy, but I’d recognize that bone-crushing hug anywhere!”</p><p>“She’s in time for our wedding!” Anya exclaimed.</p><p>“Wedding?” Buffy asked in surprise.</p><p>“Xander and I are getting wed next month,” she said.</p><p>“I’m a bridesmaid,” Dawn said.</p><p>“That’s great, but I’m not staying,” Buffy announced. “I can’t. I’ve got a brother and parents waiting for me. Uncle Severus teaches potions at the magic school I attend.”</p><p>“You are learning magic?” Xander asked.</p><p>Willow was frowning as she looked at Severus, who was giving her a look of disapproval.  “Potions? Really? I bet I could so do that,” she said.</p><p>“Of course, you could,” Buffy said, flashing her a smile. “I’m hopeless at it—much to Uncle Severus’ disappointment.”</p><p>“Only because you refuse to pay attention and focus,” he said, glaring at her.</p><p>“I told him that potions was totally a Willow thing,” Buffy said.</p><p>“Yes, she did,” Severus said.</p><p>Willow gave a small smile at that, and Buffy felt reassured that her friend was still in there somewhere.</p><p>“I will call Giles and get him on speaker phone and tell him what’s what,” Xander said.  He pulled out his cell phone and called Giles.</p><p>“Tell me about this wedding. When did you get engaged? Show me the ring,” Buffy said.</p><p>“Aren’t you going to introduce me first?” Anya asked. “Xander said it’s only polite.”</p><p>Buffy looked sheepish. “Sorry, Anya,” she said. “This is my godfather, Severus Snape. Uncle Severus, this is Anya Jenkins and that guy on the phone is Xander.”</p><p>Severus held out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you,” he said.</p><p>“Are you a wizard?” Anya asked.</p><p>“I am,” Severus said. “Are you familiar with my kind?”</p><p>Anya nodded. “I’m a thousand-year-old ex-vengeance demon,” she said. “I’ve seen a dimension where there are wand wizards and witches.”</p><p>“Really?” Severus said.</p><p>“I told you about her, Uncle Severus,” Buffy said.</p><p>“I thought you were exaggerating,” he said dryly.</p><p>“I don’t need to exaggerate,” Buffy said with a smirk. Then she looked at Anya. “You’ve been to my home world?”</p><p>“I’ve cursed in a few different dimensions,” she said with a shrug. “This one is my own dimension, though, so I preferred it.”</p><p>“Cool,” Buffy said.</p><p>Xander handed his phone to Buffy. “Talk to Giles. He needs to hear your voice,” Xander said. Buffy looked different, but her voice wasn’t much different.</p><p>“Giles?” Buffy said into the phone.  Severus watched as she talked to her mentor, and then she turned to face everyone. “Okay, Giles, I’m putting you on speaker phone, so I can talk to everyone at once.”</p><p>“Hello, everyone,” Giles said.</p><p>“Hey, G-man.”</p><p>“Hi.”</p><p>“Hello.”</p><p>“Your money is safe.”</p><p>“She’s a teenager again, Giles!”</p><p>The last one came from Dawn.</p><p>“Okay, sit down and I’ll tell you what’s been happening with me,” Buffy said as she held the phone and began her tale.</p><p>Twenty minutes later, her friends all stared at her in various degrees of surprise.</p><p>“Hogwarts? That’s the coolest name ever!” Dawn exclaimed.</p><p>“A magical community? That sounds amazing,” Tara said.</p><p>“No electricity or Wi-Fi?” Willow asked. “What do you do?”</p><p>“I spend my time learning and re-educating my classmates, of course. They are a bunch of bigots, who think non-magical people are worthless,” Buffy said with a grin.</p><p>“She’s not wrong,” Severus said. “The students aren’t quite sure what to do with her.”</p><p>“Is that your uncle, Buffy?” Giles asked.</p><p>“Yes, this is Severus Snape,” Buffy said. “He’s met your doppelganger in my world.”</p><p>“What?” Xander asked. “There’s another Giles?”</p><p>“This one never played in dark magic with Ethan but instead fell in love with an American studying art for a summer in London,” Buffy said. “He and his wife have twins, and he is head of the Watcher’s Council.”</p><p>“That’s so cool!” Dawn said.</p><p>“Who did he marry?” Anya asked.</p><p>“Twins? How wonderful,” Tara said.</p><p>“Thanks for making me feel like a failure,” Giles said with a sigh. However, it felt good to know that his mother wasn’t wrong when she said he could’ve been head of the council if he had made better choices.</p><p>“I didn’t mean that!” Buffy exclaimed. “You’re the best. I wouldn’t trade you for any other Giles.”</p><p>“We need to talk about the part where you want to take me to your world,” Dawn said. “How can we do that without Dad thinking I’ve been kidnapped or something?”</p><p>“Technically, you’ve never met Hank,” Buffy said. “All your memories are false, and so is his. We will have to wipe you from this world. Is that something you can do, Willow?”</p><p>Willow nodded. “Yes,” she said. “Since she’s not an adult, her digital footprint is minor. It won’t be hard.”</p><p>“Angel told me that Wesley had to get Faith out for a bit, and she helped save Angel’s life,” Buffy said. “She might be rehabilitated enough to be the slayer here. Angel thinks we can trust her.”</p><p>“Why don’t we leave this place to her and Angel and go with you to your world, Buffy?” Xander suggested. He looked at Anya. “What do you think, An? I don’t like living in a world without Buffy in it. Nor do I want the Dawnsters to be so far away from us.”</p><p>“Our wedding is already planned,” Anya said. His attachment to the slayer was tiresome, but this Buffy version was a child, so Anya’s normal jealous wasn’t as strong.</p><p>“I mean afterward. Can you open the portal anytime?” Xander asked Buffy.</p><p>“My father is super rich, and he can pay the demon who opens portals,” Buffy said.</p><p>“Fascinating,” Giles murmured. “I can speak to the Council about Faith. Maybe they’ll allow me to be her Watcher and work on getting her charges cleared. If Angel’s team can stay here until then, it will help.”</p><p>“He has a son, who got kidnapped and raised in a hell dimension by an old enemy of Angelus,” Dawn said.</p><p>Everyone looked at her surprise. “I email Cordy and Angel all the time,” she said. “Angel does email surprisingly well. Cordy hasn’t emailed me in a while, though. I think something’s going with her—besides being pregnant.”</p><p>“Cordy’s pregnant?” Willow asked in surprise</p><p>“Yes, but there’s more going on,” Buffy said. “I’m not sure exactly what it is, but Angel said some higher power tried to hijack her body. She’s pregnant with Angel’s son’s baby.”</p><p>“What?” Xander asked, looking horrified.</p><p>“Yes, it sounded sordid, and Angel seemed very upset. I guess an enemy of his kidnapped his son Connor when Connor was a baby. He came back several months later, and Connor was a teenager. Time moved much faster in the hell dimension. Angel lost so much, and now this new development. A change of scenery will be good for him,” Buffy said. “The hellmouth is dangerous, but it’s not complicated.”</p><p>“Buffy, should I pack my stuff?” Dawn said. “I don’t want to wait to be back with you.”</p><p>Buffy hugged her. “Me either,” she said. “I promised Draco that I’d bring our sister home.”</p><p>“We have a brother? What’s he like?” Dawn asked.</p><p>“He’s eleven—almost twelve. Very blonde—all the Malfoys are,” Buffy said. “He’s a bit spoiled and a brat, but he’s also very smart and funny.”</p><p>“The sun is down,” Willow said. “If Angel’s going to be here in another hour or so, we should get a quick patrol in.”</p><p>“I’ll stay with Dawn,” Tara said. “Do you want to eat before you leave?”</p><p>“It’s only two my time,” Buffy said, looking down at her watch. Xander, though, went and grabbed an egg roll.</p><p>“I wanna go with Buffy,” Dawn said.</p><p>“Grab a weapon,” Buffy said.</p><p>“She is a bit young to fight monsters,” Severus said.</p><p>“She’s the exact age I was when I was first called as a vampire slayer,” Buffy said with a shrug. She spent so much time protecting Dawn. Maybe it was time to keep her close and train her to take care of herself. The fact that she was now at a school where children were trained in the Defense of the Dark Arts made her view things much differently.</p><p>Severus said nothing. “How about we not split up?” Willow suggested. “It’ll be just like old times.”</p><p>“Are you coming, Anya?” Xander asked.</p><p>“Do we have snacks?” Anya asked.</p><p>“I have a new flavor of Doritos,” Dawn said. </p><p>“We got egg rolls, too,” Xander said with a grin.</p><p>Severus watched in disbelief as the teenager came back with a large bag of what he assumed was the Doritos, a short sword, and a stake. Anya held the box of egg rolls while shoving a stake in her pocket.</p><p>“Do you need a stake, Mr. Snape?” Dawn asked.</p><p>“I do not,” Severus said.</p><p>“He’s a wizard, and he can set vampires on fire really easily,” Buffy said.  “Oh, before I forget, who wants to try my wand? Dawn was able to use it, so she will be going to Hogwarts.”</p><p>“I want to try it,” Tara said. When she waved it, a spark came out of its tip.</p><p>“Cool!” Dawn said.</p><p>When Xander waved it, nothing happened. “I figured,” he said with a shrug. He passed it to Anya, who put a hole in the front door when fire came out. A loud voice yelled.</p><p>They ran to the door and saw Spike patting down his coat. “What the bullocks are you wankers doing in there?” he asked.</p><p>“Are you okay?” Dawn asked. “Come inside. We have a surprise for you.”</p><p>Spike walked inside and stared at Buffy in shock. “What the hell? Did Warren make another robot? I’m going to kill him or pay another vamp to drain him dry!” he fumed.</p><p>“No, Spike, it’s me,” Buffy said. “I’m different because I was reborn in my home dimension. This is the age I should be in my world—time moves differently there.”</p><p>Spike closed his eyes and breathe in her scent—it was her. “It is great to see you among the living, Slayer,” he said, wishing he could hug her. Seeing her young like Dawn made his feelings for her change. He smiled at her, glad to see that she was at peace as it was obvious to Spike that her burden was gone.</p><p>“You, too, Spike. Thanks for sticking around and helping Willow,” she said.</p><p>“I hate to admit it since I loathe the man, but he’s been good to have around,” Xander said, giving Spike a smirk.</p><p>“He is a vampire,” Severus said, recalling comments from Buffy and his words.</p><p>“Yes, he is, but he’s got this chip in his head that keeps him from feeding on humans,” Willow explained.</p><p>When Severus looked confused, Buffy added, “That’s a microchip—a piece of electronic equipment. Something made from science. A type of behavior modification device.”</p><p>“Let’s go,” Willow said.</p><p>“Do you want to try the wand?” Buffy asked.</p><p>“No need,” Willow said with a shrug. “I have no need for a stick to do magic.”</p><p>“If you had a wand, you wouldn’t need to turn to black magic to be so powerful,” Severus said.</p><p>“Good to know,” she said. However, she led them outside.</p><p>“I’ll fix the door tomorrow,” Xander said, pausing to look back at the damage.</p><p>“Oh, no need. Uncle Snape can fix it,” Buffy said.</p><p>“Buffy, you should be able to do it yourself,” Severus told her, giving her that look.</p><p>“Fine,” Buffy said. “But I’m still the slayer.” She used her wand to repair the damage—something she had done a few times when she got a spell wrong at home. It was one of the first spells that she mastered.</p><p>All her friends gaped at her, though. The damage was gone.</p><p>“You really <em>are </em>a witch!” Dawn exclaimed in awe. “That’s amazing. Faith will be so jealous.”</p><p>Willow’s eyes flashed with something that made Buffy uncomfortable.</p><p>“What about my jacket?” Spike said. Buffy fixed the hole, and he grinned. “Well, then. I am impressed.”</p><p>Buffy grinned and hugged him. “Glad to see you, Spike. I’m sorry to say that I’m going to be taking Dawn with me to my world. Angel’s going to come here to help you keep the hellmouth under control until Faith can do it,” she said as they walked out of her front steps.</p><p>“The dark slayer is coming here?” Spike said. “What if she decides to slay me?”</p><p>“I will tell her not to—Angel won’t let her,” Buffy said.</p><p>She looked at Severus, who was a step behind her. Xander was on her left side with his crossbow. Dawn and Anya held up the end.</p><p>“What’s been going on with Willow?” Buffy whispered to Xander. “Her appearance is kind of giving me the wiggins.”</p><p>“It’s the dark magic,” Xander said grimly.  “Tara’s about ready to leave her over it, but she keeps pushing. If we don’t get her off this hellmouth, everything good in her will be destroyed.”</p><p>Buffy looked back at her godfather. “Can you help her, uncle?” she asked.</p><p>“Perhaps,” he said.  When he watched the witch effortlessly use wandless magic to set a vampire on fire and throw her thoughts into their minds, he knew that she was clearly the strongest wandless witch he had ever encountered.</p><p>They encountered about a dozen vampires in just the hour they patrolled. Severus was astounded at the numbers, and the casual air of all of them. Xander was particularly casual, making jokes one minute and then hitting a vampire in the heart with his stake. Much to his annoyance, Severus never even spotted coming is as it had came at them from the side. Buffy seemed almost giddy with an unholy joy as she beat up vampires and slaughtered two demons with the sword her sister happily tossed her. At one point, Buffy pinned a vampire and allowed Dawn to stake it.</p><p>The joy and excitement the younger Malfoy had at the act was unsettling to Severus, a former Death Eater. They were worse than a group of Gryffindors in some ways, but witty and calculating—he couldn’t help but enjoy them. Buffy’s sister was clearly very intelligent, asking Severus several thoughtful questions about wand magic. He could already tell that she would not have the short attention span in potions that her sister had.</p><p>“I know that I’ve been gone a while, but it seems like there’s a lot more vamps around,” Buffy said as they walked back toward her house.</p><p>“Without a slayer here, word has gotten out,” Xander said. “There’s definitely more.”</p><p>When they returned back to the house, a group of people was on the porch waiting for them.</p><p>“Oh, look, it’s the Poofter and Poofter, Junior,” Spike muttered.</p><p>“Angel?” Buffy asked. He stepped into the light from the porchlight.</p><p>“Is that you, Buffy?” Angel asked, surprised to see her so young.</p><p>Buffy grinned. “Yep, I’m even more jailbait now,” she said.  Then she ran up to the porch and hugged him.</p><p>“I wish you’d called me when that hell god was trying to kill Dawn,” Angel said.</p><p>“Cordy?” Dawn asked, running up to the porch. She went to hug Cordy, but something stopped her. Something was wrong—Cordy looked at her with eyes that held none of the usual warmth. Cordelia was never that nice to Buffy, but she always treated Dawn well—at least in her fake memories.</p><p>“Hello, Dawn,” Cordelia said. She smiled at Dawn, but the smile gave Dawn chills. Something was not right.</p><p>“Is the green demon a friend of yours?” Severus asked Xander.</p><p>“Never seen him before,” Xander said.</p><p>“Let’s go inside, so we can introduce everyone,” Dawn said.</p><p>“Why didn’t you go inside? Tara’s home,” Willow said.</p><p>“Oh, we did. Fred is in there with Wesley and Gunn,” Angel said.</p><p>“We were just reminiscing and telling Connor our favorite Sunnyhell stories,” Cordelia said. She followed Lorne into the house.</p><p>“I can’t believe you’re pregnant with Angel’s son’s baby,” Dawn said to Cordelia as soon as they all stood in the living room together. “That’s messed up. You changed his diapers. I remember you emailing me when he was born. Why would you have sex with him?”</p><p>“Dawn,” Buffy said, wincing. Sure, she was thinking it was messed up, but Angel’s son was nearly grown and a cutie. Buffy looked at him with interest—he was looking at her and Dawn with clear fascination.</p><p>“No, don’t yell at Dawn,” Xander said. “That’s sick even for you, Cordy.”</p><p>“Are you allowed to talk to your ex?” Anya asked, glaring at him. “Especially when we’re getting married in a month.”</p><p>“You’re marrying the woman, who once cast a curse on this town and used to torture men for a living,” Cordelia said with a snort. “I don’t think you get the right to judge me.”</p><p>“Let’s calm down,” the green demon said.</p><p>“Who are you?” Buffy asked him.</p><p>“This is Lorne,” Angel said. “He’s an empath demon. That’s Fred and Gunn. You know Wes, and that’s Connor, my son.”</p><p>“Nice to meet all of you,” Buffy said. “This is Severus Snape, my godfather. Thanks for coming on such short notice.”</p><p>“Well, you know how it is, Buffy. You call and Angel has to come running,” Cordelia said, an edge to her voice that the Sunnydale gang had heard before. However, Lorne and Fred frowned. This wasn’t the Cordelia they knew and loved.</p><p>Angel, though, couldn’t see it. He was filled with such conflicting emotions when he looked at Cordy and then at his son. It never occurred to him that her being with Connor might mean she was not the woman he cared so much about.</p><p>“That’s not Cordelia,” Tara said, coming into the room.</p><p>“What do you mean, baby?” Willow asked.</p><p>“I know I’ve never met Cordelia, but I read auras, and your friend Cordelia has a hitchhiker,” Tara said, looking at Cordelia in distaste.</p><p>“What does that mean?” Buffy asked.</p><p>Angel felt something inside him ease. There was an explanation for all of this, after all. “It means that she is not Cordelia or that when Cordelia came back from a higher plane, something grabbed a hold of her,” he said flatly.</p><p>“It would make more sense than Cordelia suddenly taking up with Connor,” Fred said. Then she winced at her words. “I’m sorry.”</p><p>Connor clenched his fist and flashed an angry glance. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about!” he fumed.</p><p>“We know that the Cordelia we know and love would never betray Angel this way,” Wesley added.</p><p>“What they’ve said,” Gunn said, nodding in agreement.</p><p>“Connor, don’t let them talk to me that way,” Cordelia said.</p><p>Severus didn’t know the players, but he could sense the rising tension. He realized that things were about to unravel. If he didn’t make sure Buffy made the three-hour window, Buffy’s parents would have his head.</p><p>*****<em>To Be Continued*****</em></p><p>
  <em>I’m not sure why I felt the need to bring in Angel and this Cordelia bit, but I couldn’t resist the idea of a magical smack down, which we’ll get to in the next chapter!</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Bringing Them Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Here is the final chapter. Enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>******Where We Left Off******</em>
</p><p>Cordelia started to laugh as she faced an increasingly hostile group. “This is hilarious. You all think you can defeat Connor and me?” she asked. She looked at Connor. “Are you going to let them harm our baby? That’s what they want, Connor. To destroy what we created.”</p><p>“What you created is an abomination,” Tara said with somber eyes. “I can see it—it’s not a baby.”</p><p>“Let’s calm down,” Lorne said. “I can solve this easily. Princess, will you sing for me?”</p><p>“I shouldn’t have to,” Cordelia said, looking upset. “I’ve known you all for years, and I should’ve earned your trust by now.”</p><p>“You have,” Fred assured her. “Let’s just put their doubts to rest and let Lorne do his thing. If there’s nothing there, he will be able to reassure them. If there’s something there, you want to be free of it, right? No one wants to harm your baby.”</p><p>“Of course not,” Gunn added.</p><p>Connor could sense power from too many people in the room and wasn’t sure with the slayer there that he could take all of them—magic users were not his field of expertise. He turned to his lover. “Let’s just get it done, so they can leave us alone,” he said.</p><p>Cordelia knew she was backed into a corner and pulled him aside. “Will you love me no matter what?” she asked.</p><p>“Of course,” he assured her.</p><p>“Will you protect me?” she asked.</p><p>“With my life,” he said.</p><p>“Okay,” she said. It was time to roll the dice. Her cloaking spell should work to deceive the empath demon.  “I don’t want you all to be so worried, so here goes. No snickering at my singing voice.”</p><p>“Wait,” Willow said. She murmured her own spell, so anything working to hide Cordelia’s nature would fail. “If you are deceiving everyone, you now won’t be able to hide it.”</p><p>Cordelia frowned but didn’t comment. When she sung just one note, Loren gasped. “That’s not my princess,” he said.</p><p>Immediately, Severus, who had been holding his wand at the ready, cast a spell to immobilize her while Buffy did the same to Connor as she didn’t want to hurt Angel’s son.</p><p>“Well, that was anti-climactic,” Xander said, looking down at them.</p><p>“I didn’t want to fight him,” Buffy said.</p><p>“Thank you,” Angel said, hugging her.</p><p>Cordelia, though, wasn’t without her own magic, and she was back on her feet. “That’s some interesting magic, but it’s not going to be enough to put me down for long,” she said, glaring at Severus.</p><p>Willow reached for Tara’s hand. “I bet I can,” she said coldly.  A green band went around her, completely immobilizing her, not even allowing her to talk.</p><p>“We need to determine if the baby is human or demonic,” Tara said.</p><p>Connor struggled against the invisible bonds that kept him frozen, rage filling him.</p><p>“We won’t hurt her,” Angel said to him. “You know I love her—she’s my best friend.”</p><p>He stopped struggling but kept the glare going strong.</p><p>Tara moved to put her hand on Cordelia’s belly. Everyone watched and waited.</p><p>Severus noticed the Willow woman had a cold, calculating look on her face that reminded him strongly of Bellatrix.  He held tightly to his wanted and waited for the Wiccan’s next move, and he could see Willow doing the same thing as she stood by her lover’s side.</p><p>“This will take some time,” Tara said.</p><p>“Why don’t you bring her back with us?” Buffy suggested. “We have a great witch doctor at the school. Between the two of you, I bet you can help Cordy.”</p><p>Severus thought about it, knowing the woman would be a danger to everyone. However, they did have the means to contain her. “I would permit it only if we render her unconscious,” he said. “Awake, she can plot to get out of her confines.”</p><p>“That’s fine,” Buffy said.</p><p>“But no one will harm Cordelia?” Angel asked.</p><p>“What is inside her now is harming her,” Tara said. “If she gives birth to whatever this is—it’s not a baby—she could die.”</p><p>All of Angel’s friends looked alarmed. “Then please help her,” Angel said to Severus and Tara.</p><p>Severus waved his wand, rendering Cordelia asleep. “There. Now we don’t have to worry about her,” he said.</p><p>“You and Connor will stay on the hellmouth until the Council can get Faith here?” Buffy asked Angel.</p><p>He nodded. “Yes,” he said. “Connor will want to be near wherever you might reappear with Cordy.” He looked at his son, who continued to glare.</p><p>Tara looked at Willow. “We need to go with Buffy,” she said. When Willow looked to start protesting, she pulled Willow aside. “Honey, this hellmouth is destroying all traces of white magic in you. You need to be some place that is purer.”</p><p>“What about our classes?” Willow asked.</p><p>“We can take an incomplete and come back for Xander’s wedding and take the finals. We’ll get Xander to tell the school that we had a family emergency,” Tara said.</p><p>Willow could not think of a good argument, and she knew that the presence she sensed in her old nemesis was malevolent. They might need her help in the end. “Okay,” she said.</p><p>“You will need to run to the ATM and get cash,” Buffy said.</p><p>“The currency is from another dimension,” Severus pointed out. “The girls are skilled, and I am sure the headmaster could use them. Even your friend Xander is qualified to teach Defense of the Dark Arts even without magic. Maybe, Willow can assist your father until the end of the term. Then in the fall, Xander could aid her and muggles studies.”</p><p>“The muggle studies is kind of a joke,” Buffy agreed with a grin. She looked at her friends to explain. “It’s a class that teaches about the non-magical world. It’s very much out of date.”</p><p>“What would I do?” Tara asked.</p><p>“You clearly have an affinity for the healing arts, so I am sure Madam Pomfrey, our healer, would welcome your help,” Severus said. He knew the woman had bemoaned proper help for a few years now.</p><p>Buffy looked at her watch. “I only have ten minutes left, so gather up whatever you want to take with you,” she said. “I’ll grab a few things I’d like to take from my old room and help Dawn.”</p><p>She knew she was cutting it close, but by the time they were all ready, they had only a minute to say goodbye. Dawn had filled two suitcases and her backpack while Buffy had one that she filled mostly with pictures and one of her leather pants.  Of course, she got Mr. Woody from her weapon’s chest that was now downstairs. Out of respect to her, no one touched her favorite stake, so it was still in one piece.</p><p>“I can’t believe you kept Mr. Woody!” she exclaimed when she saw it.</p><p>“You named your stake?” Severus asked, rolling his eyes.</p><p>“No, actually, Kendra did. It was hers, and she gave it to me. That was what she called it,” Buffy said with a grin.</p><p>“Did you grab Mr. Gordo?” Dawn asked her.</p><p>“Yep,” Buffy said. “He’s in there with some pictures and my favorite leathers.”</p><p>“Will those fit you?” Anya asked, looking at her doubtfully.</p><p>“I’m sure they will eventually,” Buffy said. “Just to warn you, the wizarding community that I live in is like living in a Victorian novel from the 1800’s. Magic is used to even light lanterns, and there’s no Wi-Fi or electricity.”</p><p>“No Wi-Fi?” Willow asked in dismay. “I guess I don’t need my laptop.”</p><p>“Well, you can go to parts of Scotland that has muggles and get Wi-Fi,” Buffy said with a shrug.</p><p>“Scotland?” Tara asked, her eyes wide. “You live in Scotland?”</p><p>“Oh, did I forget to mention that?” Buffy said. “Scotland is where the school is.”</p><p>“I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland,” Tara said. “I have ancestors there.”</p><p>“Will Connor be okay?” Angel asked Severus.</p><p>“Yes, he’ll be fine in another hour or so,” Severus said.</p><p>Buffy hugged Angel and said goodbye to his friends, thanking them for coming.</p><p>“Wes and I will stick home with Lorne, and Fred will stay here to handle research and support,” Gunn said.</p><p>“Fred, you are welcome to stay in my room or Buffy’s,” Dawn said. “If you can box up the rest of my stuff, I’ll get it when I come for the wedding.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Fred said.</p><p>“What about Connor?” Buffy said. “He can stay here.”</p><p>“He’ll stay with me,” Angel said. “He was raised in a hell dimension, so he doesn’t need much.” He glanced down at him as he was still glaring at Angel.  Once Cordy was fixed, Connor would come around.</p><p>“If he’s not going to help, he should go back with Wes,” Willow said.</p><p>“He will,” Angel said. “In fact, I think he’ll love this town as it’s smaller and has lots of things for him to kill.”</p><p>“If Willow and Tara are both coming now, you can stay here, too, Angel,” Buffy said. “Fred will probably feel more comfortable if you do. The basement is free and has a cot in it or did.”</p><p>“It still does,” Willow said. “We had to fix the pipes and things flooded, but we dried out the cot. You can bring Dawn’s twin down there, though, if you want a more comfortable bed. Connor can take Buffy’s room.”</p><p>“It is time,” Severus said to Buffy.</p><p>She hugged Xander and Anya, and then Xander hugged Dawn, Willow and Tara.</p><p>The gang was impressed with Severus’ simple levitation spell as he pulled Cordelia along with them as they headed to the portal. Tara was nervous, but Willow held her hand, determined to finally do something that would make Tara happy.</p><p>Severus walked in first with Cordelia behind him. Buffy turned to Willow and saw that Spike was there also. “Spike? What are you doing?” she asked.</p><p>“I don’t know that I can leave you and Little Bit to fend for yourself,” Spike said.</p><p>“I’m not alone, Spike,” Buffy assured him. “I have my wizard godfather, who you met. Then my parents, and an entire school of witches and wizards. I will be fine. They need you here. The hellmouth needs a guardian, and no one understands this town like you do—not even Angel.”</p><p>Spike grinned to hear the rare praise. “Okay,” he said. Dawn hugged him and then reached for Buffy’s hand. </p><p>Tara and Willow walked through next as Buffy pulled Dawn through.</p><p>Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco were waiting anxiously for Buffy’s return. When Severus finally came through, Draco shouted, “They’re here!”</p><p>Lucius put down the paper that he’d been trying to distract himself with and stood up with his wife, who reached for his hand. When Severus brought a body behind him, they grew concerned. Then two more strangers came through. Finally, relief swept through them as they saw Buffy with a young girl, who looked near Buffy’s age.</p><p>The portal closed, and Buffy grinned. “Told you that I’d make it,” Buffy said. “I brought a few extras.”</p><p>Draco moved to hug her and glanced at Dawn. “Is that her?” he asked.</p><p>“Yep. Dawn, this is our brother, Draco,” Buffy said. “Draco, this is Dawn. My best friend Willow had to get off the hellmouth, and this is Tara, my friend and Willow’s girlfriend. We had to bring Cordelia ‘cause she’s been impregnated with some dark mojo. Tara needs time to fix her.”</p><p>“It’s more complicated than that,” Severus said.</p><p>“Of course, it would be,” Lucius said, giving his daughter a fond look. He should’ve known that she wouldn’t be able to resist bringing her friends. “You all are welcome.”</p><p>“I am so happy you are here,” Narcissa said to Dawn. “We have your room ready. It’s right next to Buffy’s and across from Draco.” She glanced at Tara and Willow. “Of course, your friends can stay in our guest rooms.”</p><p>“We need to get Cordelia to Hogwarts,” Severus said.</p><p>“We need to go with Cordelia,” Willow said. “She’s got magical abilities that Cordy never actually had, and I need to be there to help contain her.”</p><p>“I assure you that Headmaster Dumbledore can help her,” Lucius said. He eyed the redhead with the dark tips with interest. She felt very different from the rest, and he knew from Buffy’s memories that she was a budding witch. Now, though, he realized she was much more powerful than the memories he had viewed.</p><p>Buffy was torn. She wanted to see Willow and Tara settled, but she knew that Dawn needed to stay with her family. “Will you guys be okay without me?” Buffy asked. “I need to stay here another week. School’s out for Spring Break.”</p><p>“We’ll be fine,” Willow assured her even though she had major misgivings.</p><p>“You can wait to go to the Hogwart school,” Dawn said.</p><p>“Hogwarts,” Lucius, his wife, son, and Severus all said at once.</p><p>“They get really worked up over the name,” Buffy said with a grin.</p><p>“I will take care of your friends,” Severus assured them.</p><p>“Would you at least stay for dinner?” Narcissa said to them.</p><p>“I would feel better if we could get Cordelia settled,” Tara said. “She’s pregnant with something that is a not a baby.”</p><p>The Malfoys all looked shocked and horrified. Draco, though, looked confused. “What else could she be pregnant with?”</p><p>“A demon of some kind,” Willow said. “It’s happened once to Cordelia before, but that time it was overnight. This time, it’s been like a real pregnancy.”</p><p>“Well, get her settled,” Lucius said. “I could go get you tomorrow and escort you to dinner with us if you like?”</p><p>“That’d be great,” Tara said.</p><p>When Severus explained to the girls how the floo worked, they thought he was joking. Buffy snickered. “It’s not a joke. They travel by magical fireplace and magic powder,” she told them.</p><p>“That’s so cool!” Willow said, becoming excited for the first time.  She watched how Severus did it and listen to Lucius’ instructions, and then Tara went. She waved goodbye at Buffy and Dawn when it was her turn.</p><p>Then it was just Buffy and Dawn with her family. “Draco, this is your sister,” Buffy said. “Dawn, this is Draco.”</p><p>“I always wanted a brother,” Dawn said with a grin.</p><p>“I always wanted a sibling, and now I have two,” Draco said, smiling at her. “Come on. I’ll show you your room.”</p><p>Buffy trailed after them while their parents followed at a more leisure pace.</p><p>Narcissa was overwhelmed. “I can’t believe it, Lucius. We have another daughter,” she said. “I never dreamed to have so much.”</p><p>“I feel the same,” he said, watching as Buffy talked excitedly to both of her siblings. She was so full of joy that it was contagious. “Buffy is so happy—complete now. I am so glad we found a way to bring Dawn home.”</p><p>“To bring them all home,” Narcissa said, thinking of Buffy’s friends. With her friends here, Buffy wouldn’t feel the loss of them any longer.</p><p>A few hours later, they had dinner and settled the girls into their rooms. Dawn wanted to stay with Buffy, however, so Buffy shared her bed with her sister. Both of them were needing to feel close.</p><p>However, in the middle of the night, Buffy was awakened by a green light that emanated from Dawn, and she jumped out of the bed, grabbing her wand to turn on the lights. “What’s happening?” she asked. “Dawn? Dawn? Are you okay?” Her sister stayed asleep and didn’t stir.</p><p>She ran to her parents’ room, waking them. When they made it to Dawn’s room, however, the room had another occupant.</p><p>“Whistler? What are you doing here? What’s happening with Dawn?” Buffy said, fear gripping her. “You’re not taking her back!”</p><p>Whistler held up his hands. “No, nothing like that,” he said. “She was made from you, Buffy, but the magic that created her is adapting her to this new world.”</p><p>“What does that mean?” Lucius asked. “Who are you?”</p><p>“He’s a balance demon from my old world—he’s the one who explained things to me when I got here,” Buffy said. “He works for the Powers.”</p><p>“They don’t like you taking Willow off their chess board, but since you’re taking care of Jasmin, they’ll let it slide,” he said.</p><p>“Who’s Jasmin?” Buffy asked.</p><p>“She’s the higher power who hijacked Cordelia’s body,” he said. “Your friend’s got a minor deity inside her from a hell dimension, who managed to manipulate Angel and his team into this quagmire.”</p><p>“So Tara was right—it’s not a baby,” Buffy said. “Can Cordy be saved?”</p><p>He shrugged. “Maybe. With the right magical touch,” he said. “Don’t worry about little sis. She’ll be fine.” Then he blinked away.</p><p>“How did he get in here?” Lucius asked. “No one should be able to breach my family’s wards.”</p><p>“He’s not a wizard, and he doesn’t play by the rules,” Buffy said with a shrug. “Well, I don’t have a camera to photograph Dawn’s green face as she will never believe this, so I’m going to go to her room and sleep. The green nightlight will keep me awake.”</p><p>Several hours later, they were all awaken to screams, so they raced to Buffy’s room to see what was happening with Dawn.</p><p>Dawn was standing in front of the mirror in Buffy’s room looking at her new appearance.</p><p>“Are you okay?” Buffy asked, having beat everyone to Dawn’s room. When Dawn turned around, she blinked at the changes in her sister.</p><p>Dawn was now noticeably younger with lighter colored hair. Her eyes and face where the same, but she looked vastly different from the fifteen-year-old she had been when she went to sleep.</p><p>“No, I’m not okay! Look at me!” Dawn wailed.</p><p>“What’s going on?” Draco asked. His parents and the house elves were standing in the hall, wondering the same thing.</p><p>“Dawn’s freaking out because she no longer looks like the fifteen-year-old she was last night,” Buffy said. “Now she’s back to being the little sister.” This pleased Buffy enormously.</p><p>As soon as their parents and Draco stepped into the room and locked eyes with Dawn, reality bent, and memories of Dawn flooded their minds.</p><p>Powerful magic wielders, the parents knew something strange was happening, but Draco just frowned. “What do you mean? She’s ten. She doesn’t turn eleven until next month,” he said. “Why would you think she was fifteen?”</p><p>Buffy and Dawn exchanged a look as Narcissa walked over to hug her daughter. At her touch, Dawn forgot Joyce Summers entirely and knew only Narcissa as her mother. Buffy, too, felt new memories begin to flood her mind and groaned. “I can’t believe this!” she muttered. How could one spell still work in another freakin’ dimension? Now, though, instead of Hank and Joyce bringing Dawn home from the hospital, it was Lucius and Narcissa in the memory.</p><p>Draco and Dawn were inseparable as they grew, and due to his sister’s presence, Draco was never quite the boy who said that hateful word to Hermione. He was never so full of his own importance because his little sister never tolerated such arrogance. Instead of being a bully, he was a protector.</p><p>The magic of spell rippled outward as the Malfoys stood, trying to absorb it all.</p><p>Back at Hogwarts, Willow frowned as she felt someone trying to intrude on her mind, and she stored up her defenses and cast a spell over Tara as she slept. No one would harm her lover.</p><p>Albus sipped his hot chocolate as he felt the magic, and he chuckled.</p><p>He glanced at his phoenix, his constant companion. “It seems that Buffy Malfoy’s old life is now merging with her new one,” he said. He recognized the new memories as being fake, and yet he marveled at the clarity of them.  He had never met Dawn Malfoy, but he suddenly knew of her outside of Buffy’s desperate attempt to return her. Although Severus had returned with her and Buffy’s friends only the day before, he found that memory trying to be ripped away, and he worked hard to counter the magic.</p><p>“Fascinating,” he said, delighted to discover a new kind of magic in his advanced age.</p><p>Somehow, he had a feeling that this was just the beginning of the new changes the Malfoy sisters would bring.</p><p>******<em>The End*****</em></p><p>
  <em>I hope you enjoyed this latest installment. Yes, I still have ideas for more, so there will probably be more! However, I haven’t written any so far. Reviews inspire me, so take a minute to leave one. Thanks for reading!</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>